Quaternary chalcogenide wafers

Abstract

Disclosed herein are processes for making quaternary chalcogenide wafers. The process comprises heating a mixture of quaternary chalcogenide crystals and flux and then cooling the mixture to form a solidified mixture comprising ingots of quaternary chalcogenide and flux. The process also comprises isolating one or more ingots of quaternary chalcogenide from the solidified mixture and mounting at least one ingot in a polymer binder to form a quaternary chalcogenide-polymer composite. The process also comprises optionally slicing the quaternary chalcogenide-polymer composite to form one or more quaternary chalcogenide-polymer composite wafers. The quaternary chalcogenide wafers are useful for forming solar cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article having a top surface and a bottom surface, the article comprising at least one quaternary chalcogenide ingot mounted in a non-conductive polymer binder, such that the at least one quaternary chalcogenide ingot is exposed on both the top surface and the bottom surface. 
     
     
       2. The article of  claim 1 , wherein the quaternary chalcogenide ingots are selected from the group consisting of Cu 2 ZnSnS 4  (CZTS); Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4  (CZTSe); and Cu 2 ZnSn(S a ,Se 1-a ) 4 , where 0≦a≦1 (CZTS/Se). 
     
     
       3. The article of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer binder comprises an epoxy, an acrylic, polysiloxanes, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       4. The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is in the form of a wafer.